Water purifying and degasifying apparatus



July 14, 1936 v. A. ROHLIN 2,047,292

WATER PURIFYING AND DEGASIFYING APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1935 2 Shets-Sheet 1 ll lll ll lll m II'I HII

INVENTOR We 70/? ,4. ROf/Ll/V ATTORNEY July 14, 1936. v. A; ROHLIN 2,047,292

I WATER PURIF'YING AND DEGASIFYING APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR V/croz? A. Ron/um ATTORNEY Patented July 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATER PURIFYING AND DEGASIFYING APPARATUS Victor A. Itohlin, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Oochrane Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa", a.

corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 20,

7 Claims.

The general object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of and improved means for heating, for purifying, and for deaerating or, more accurately, for degasifying water for boiler feed and analogous purposes.

More specifically, the object of the present invention is 'to provide an improved method-and apparatus for subjecting water to a so-called hot process water softening treatment and to a de- 10 gasiiying treatment separating from the water the air initially contained therein and the gases liberated from the water-by said treatment.

In accordance with the present invention, the

water treated. is passed successively through an initial heating stage, an intermediate sedimentation stage, and a. final degasifying stage, and is brought into intimate contact with and heated by steam in the initial heating stage, and is subjected to a steam jet atomizing action by which water is sprayed into the final degasifying stage.

In the preferred form of the invention, all of the steam used for heating the water in the initial heating stage and in atomizing and spraying the water into the final degasifying stage, is initially supplied to one of the two last mentioned stages,

and the steam supplied to and not condensed in the stage towhich the steam is initially supplied, is passed to the other of the two last mentioned stages, from which the air and other gases liberated in both stages are discharged.

A primary advantage of the invention arises from the compactness and relatively small hull: and low inherent cost of construction of the apparatus required for the use of the invention.

That advantage may be obtained with apparatus in which the steam is initially supplied to the initial heating stage, and with somewhat different apparatus in which steam is initially supplied to the final degasification stage. Whether .the

steamis initially supplied to one endstage for the other, the initial heating, the softening, and the atomizing and degasificatiqn treatments or stages are preferably carried out in a single tank structure which encloses the relatively large sedimentation space required, and has its upper portion partitioned to form an initial steam and water contact heating space, alongside a degaslfication chamber separatedirorn both of said spaces, except for. a port or ports for the passage so or water into' said chamber from the sedits-rentation space, and for the passage of steam and gases in one direction or the other'between said chamber and heating space.

The invention is further characterized icy the, provision of means for so regulating the amount 1935, Serial No. 32,330

of water maintained in the apparatus, and for so supplying the atomizing steam used, that a gravitational movement of the water out of the sedimentation space will bring the water into the path of an atomizing steam Jet fiow, and that. 5

' the latter will give an upward movement to the atomized water, with the resultant advantage that the water level in the storage space of the degasification chamber may normally be but little below the main water level in the tank, so 10 that the atomizing and degasiiying operation re sults in but a trifling loss in water head.

The practical importance of the, small less of water head thus made possible, will be realized when account is taken of the relatively great l bulk and height of hot process water purification apparatus units. The sedimentation tank structure of such a unit quite commonly is fifteen or twenty feet or more in diameter, and has a vertical dimension of twenty to thirty feet, and the 20 location of ordinary forms of water heating and 'degasifying structures above the sedimentation space would extend the vertical dimension of the unit upwardly for a distance which might well be ten or fifteen feet or more. The location of 25 the heating and degasifying means within the tank enclosing the sedimentation space in accordance with the present invention results in an appreciable economy in the space requirement of a unit of given capacity, and reduces its maxi- 30 mum vertical dimension to the sum of that required for sedimentation and for the initial waterheating treatment, since the body of water undergoing sedimentation extends and in efiect forms the bottom of the initial water heating 35 The height to which the water must be pumped to move it through my improved apparatus is thus reduced practically to the minimum possible, and practically all of the water head created in ele- 40 vating the water into the apparatus is available j for use in passing water from the apparatus into a boiler or other receiving apparatus directly, or

more usually, through the filter means required to eliminate'the portion of the precipitated im- 45- purities not, settling out of the water in the sedi mentation space.

The degasiiying portion of, my improved apl tus may be relatively compact as the water loses little heat in passing to, it from the initial to heatlng space so that the heating'duty of the degasifying apparatus is relatively light, and its continuous operation atlpractically maximum eifficiency is not interfered with by any accumulation of solid impurities from the water, since the portion of the impurities which the water carries out of the sedimentation space and into the degasifying apparatus is in such form that it passes out of the degasifying apparatus with the water discharged therefrom.

The direct passage of the water from the initial heating space into the sedimentation space through a horizontal flow area which may be the full horizontal area of the said heating space practically precludes any significant reduction of said flow area by the accumulation of deposited impurities. Moreover, when the initial heating action is effected in the preferred manner by spraying the water to be heated and treated into the steam filled heating space D, the deposit of precipitated impurities is mainly restricted to deposit on the walls and in the sludge collecting bottom portion of the sedimentation space from which they can be removed in the same manner as in, and with no more difliculty than is involved in, the operation of any ordinary hot process water purifying unit not provided with self contained water heating and degasifying means.

My improved apparatus is characterized not only by its compactness, but also by inherent simplicity in construction and arrangement, and is inherently relatively inexpensive to construct and maintain.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, and the advantages possessed by it, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described preferred forms of apparatus for use in the practice of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of one apparatus embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a second form of apparatus for use in the practice of the method claimed herein.

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional plan, the section being taken on the line l--4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the broken line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, and referring first to the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, A represents a tank in which the water heating, chemical treating, settling, and degasifying operations are performed. The upper portion of the space within the tank A is divided into a water heating space or chamber B and a deaerating chamber or compartment C. As shown, the chambers B and C are separated from one another by a vertical partition A. The latter extends downward to'a level below the normal water level and is connected at its lower end to a transverse partition or wall A which forms the bottom wall of the compartment C. The bottom of the space B is formed, in effect, by the water body in the sedimentation space. The latter occupies all of the tank interior excepting the portions forming the space B and chamber C.

In the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the

water treated is discharged into the space B through a spray device D comprising a vertical spray pipe extending downward into the space B through the top wall of the tank A and formed with suitable spray discharge orifices D located within the space B. The spray device may be. and as shown is of the type disclosed in the Kittredge Patent 1,996,159 granted April 2, 1935. The water to be treated is supplied to the spray device D through a supply pipe E connected to the water inlet of a vent condenser F, and a pipe E leading from the water outlet of the vent condenser to the spray device. The supply of water to the pipe E is controlled by a valve E operated through a link E by a pivoted float E, which floats on the water in the chamber C, and operates through the valve E to regulate the supply of water as required to maintain an approximately constant water level in the chamber C. The treated water is discharged from the tank A through the outlet H opening from the chamber C below the water level therein. Air and other gases separated from the water, and steam supplied to, and not condensed in the chamber C, are discharged from the latter through the vent or. outlet I to the inlet of the condensing space of the vent condenser F, and pass from said space through an outlet F. The latter may open directly to the atmosphere when the working pressure in the chamber C is to be maintained above that of the atmosphere, and when the working pressure in the chamber C is to be lower than the pressure of the atmosphere, the outlet F may be connected to any suitable exhauster, in accordance with the usual practice of the art.

The steam used in the tank A is supplied to the latter through an inlet J opening to the chamber or space B. The steam may be supplied at any suitable available pressure. Usually the steam supplied is exhaust steam at a pressure slightly above that of the atmosphere. Undesirable deflection of the jets of water discharged through the orifices D by the entering steam, is prevented by a baiile J depending from the top wall of the tank in front of the inlet J. Steam supplied to, but not condensed in the space B, along with air and other gases liberated from the water-in that space, pass to the chamber C through a port K in the partition A along with water passing from the sedimentation space into the chamber C. As hereinafter explained, the part K is, in effect, the inlet part of a deaerating atomizer delivering the water to the chamber C in a fine spray or mist. As shown, the water passing to the port K is conveyed to the latter through a conical collector or draw-01f element L, such as is frequently employed to draw of! water from the lower portion of a settling chamber or sedimentation space. The collector L is open at its lower end and is connected at its upper end by pipes L' to a compartment or pocket L the end walls of which are formed by opposed portions of the tank body, and one side wall of which is formed by the partition A. The other side wall and the bottom wall of the pocket L are formed by vertical and horizontal portions, respectively, of a partition member L The latter extends nearly to the top of the tank A and serves as a baffle preventing the water spray discharged through the orifices D from entering the space L, while permitting steam not condensed in the space B, and air and other gases liberated from the water and passing into admixture with uncondensed steam, to pass into the compartment L over the top of the partition member L As previously stated, the port K is, in effect, the inlet port of an atomizing device which comprises a valve member K carried by a rock shaft K. The latter is journalled at its ends in bearingsformed in a valve casing member K secured to the partition A at the chamber 0 side of the latter. The casing member K forms one side and the ends of a trough-like valve chamber which is more or less completely closed at its top by the valve member K, according to the angular position of the latter. The valve member K is biased for movement in the clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1, into-the position in which its free edge engages a seat portion K on the casing member K and then prevents flow through the port K. The valve member K is turned counterclockwise to permit flow through the port K, as a result of an excess of the vapor pressure in the chamber B over that in the chamber C. The bias force acting on the valve member K, normally maintains an approximately constant predetermined differential between said two vapor pressures and thus insures a proper jet velocity between the valve member K and its seat K so that the steam subjects the water in the compartment 1? to an entraining and atomizing action.

In consequence of that. atomizing and entraining action, the stream of steam moving past the valve member K into the compartmentC, carrles with' it a more or less constant proportion of water, in the form of a mist, which is lifted fromthe body of water in the compartment Ll. In any normalposition of the free edge of the valve member K, it coacts with the upper edge of the casing member K to incline the direction of the stream of steam and atomized water entering the space C, upwardly from the horizontal and away from the partition A. The atomizing.

of the water and its distribution throughout thestream insures an intimacy and relatively large area of contact of the water with the steam which is extremely favorable to the rapid and thorough elimination from the water of gases previously contained therein.

The means shown for impressing a bias or loading force on the valve member K tending to maintain an approximately constant excess of vapor pressure in the space 13 over that in the compartment C, comprises a lever M external to the tank A and carrying a counter-weight M.

g The lever M is carried by a horizontalrock shaft M which is journailed in'a bearing M mounted in the side wall of the tank and suitably packed to prevent leakage through the bearing. The

lever M might be carried by an integral exte'npractical construction reasons.

sion of the valve shaft K, but as shown, each of the shafts K and W is detachably connected through a universal Joint coupling M to the ad,- iacent end'of a third shaft M 'extendingbetween the shafts K. and M. The described separable connection between the shaits K and M facilitates assembly and disassembly, and avoids torsional stresses and friction which might otherwise result from the relative thermal expansion and contraction of different portions of the apparatus. and makes it possible to locate the shaft M with its axis out of alignment from the axis of the shaft KyflS may be desirable for Advantageously, and as shown, the counterweight M carried by the lever M is adjustable toward and away from the axis of the shaft M to thereby vary the torque in the valve closing direction which the lever M impresses on the valve member K. Advantageously, means are provided to minimize or prevent "tendency of the valve member K to tors, and, in general, will increase with the load water enteringlthat compartment. and is thereber M external to the tank A. with a'plston M7 working therein and connected to the rock shaft M through a rocking lever 1M and link'M' connecting a lever M to an arm M" on the shaft M.

In the apparatus shown, the chemical reagent material is fed into the space B adjacent thebottom of the latter through a supply pipe' N I extending through the tank wall. For ordinary hot process water softening action, the reagent material supplied by the pipe N is a liquid carrying soda ash and hydrate of lime partly in solution and-partly in suspension. No necessity exists for illustrating and describing the means for supplying the reagent material to the pipe N. as such means may be constructed and arranged in any of the well known ways commonly used in hotprocess water purification systems;

'I'he generaloperation of the apparatus shownin Figs. 1 and 2 will be apparent to those skilled in the art: from the drawings and the foregoing a0 description. The water sprayedinto the space 13 and coming intocontact in that space with the steamsupplied thereto through the steam inlet .3, will be heated nearly to the entering temperature of the steam with the result that the amount as v of steam condensed in heating the water will be approximately proportional to the amount of water sprayed into the space E. If the steam inlet is supplied with steam at an approximately constant pressure, as is usual in the operation of 30 hot water; softening systems, an approximately constant vapor, pressure will be maintained inthe space B, regardless of the rate at which water ,is sprayed=-into that space. The heating of the water as it flows through the space B, will separate from the water the major portion of the air and other gases previously held in solution in the water. In consequence, the atmosphere in the space-B will consist of steam mixed with a small amount of gases liberated from the water. The difference between the temperature at which the steam is supplied to the space E and the lower temperature to which the water will be heatedin that space, dependsupon various facor rate at which water is supplied, and ordinarily should not exceed 4 F. or 5 F. at heavy loads.

More or less of the gases carried into the sedi'- I mentationspace with the water entering the latter. and'formed in that space as a result ofthe interaction of the water and reagent material, passes upward into the space B, from the subjacentflwater, while the remainder is eventually carried into the compartment L with the aftersubstantially all separated from the wateit in the compartment C. The precipitates formed as a. resultof the interaction of the reagent material with impurities in the water, largely separate out of the water in the sedimentation space in the bottom of which they collect and from which they may be discharged through the usual bottom sludge draw-oi! connection 0.

In the treatment of water of the character ordinarlly treated by a. hot water softening proo ess, there islittle or no tendency for the deposit of impurities from the water in the spray device in. While the sedimentation action may not entirelyfree-the watery-entering the compartment L from precipitated impurities, the impurities carried into'and through the compartment L with the water, are not in a form to .5 give trouble by adherence to the atomizing valve structure so as to interfere significantly with the final degasification operation,

The amount by which the vapor pressure in the space B exceeds that in the compartment 10; C, is a function of the loading force on the valve member K, and may be. adjusted as conditions make desirable, by adjustment of the counterweight M along the length of the lever M. By making that pressure differential sufliciently w, large, the temperature in the vapor space of the compartment C may be made somewhat less than the temperature of the water in the compartment L with the result that a portion of the atomized water sprayed into the compartfitment C, will flash into steam as it passes the valve member K. Such flashing action is of itself conducive to good deaeration, but in most cases should be kept small or avoided, as it necessarily reduces the temperature at which 25." the purified-water is delivered from the apparatus through the outlet H. If the temperature of the water in the compartment L is below the temperature of the steam in the compartment C, the water will be heated substantially 30 to the last mentioned temperature as it is sprayed into the compartment C, as a result of the intimate contact of the steam and water efiected by the atomizing valve, and the fact that .the atomized water holds too small an amount of dis- 35 solved air to significantly retard its heating. When the temperature of the water is' thus raised in the compartment C, there is necessarily no flashing action, but, on the contrary, some steam condensation in the chamber C. Such 40 condensation as can occur in normal operation in the chamber C of properly designed apparatus of the character shown, will be so relatively small .in amount, that practically all of the steam entering the chamber C will pass out of the (i5 latter to the vent condenser F through the outlet I. To insure the thorough elimination of the air and other gases from the water in the chamber C, the thoroughfare flow of steam through the chamber C, should ordinarily amount 50 in weight to about 2/z% or so or the weight of water treated, as those skilled in the art oi de= gesifying liquids will understand.

The regulating action of the float E on the water supply valve E tends to the maintenance 55 of a water level. in the chamber C which need vary only through the small range required for the proper adjustment of the supply valve between its wide open and closed positions. To minimize the required over-all vertical dimen- 60 sions of the apparatus required, and the loss of water head in the apparatus, the minimum water level in the chamber 0 should be about as high as is practically possible without risk 0! the water level being carried above the top 65 edge of the valve trough formed by the casing member K under such an extreme operating condition as may occur when a heavy load period oi. operation is followed by a period in which littleor no water is discharged through the outlet H. The water level in the compartment L. will vary but slightly,,but the water level in the sedimentation space will necessarily rise slightly relative to the water level in compartment L 75 as therate of water supply, or apparatus load,

increases. Regardless of such variations in the 'height oi! water level in the compartment L, as

may occur in normal operation, the valve member K will be automatically held in the position required to permit whatever rate oi! stem ,5 flow past the valve member is required to maintain the desired differential between the vapor pressures in the space B and compartment C.

In respect to the initial heating of the water, the addition of reagent material thereto, and the elimination of impurities therefrom by sedimentation, thev apparatus disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 does not differ from ordinary hot process water softening apparatus essentially, except in respect to the economy in space requirements, and the avoidance of heat losses resulting from the incorporation of the initial water heatin space in the tank enclosing the sedimentation space. The final degasifying' operation, however,

is characterized by the effectiveness of the steam 29,

atomizing provisions, which break up the water into drops of mist or fog-like dimensions. From such small drops the air and other gases driven out of the solution in the water composing them as a result of the heating of the water to the full temperature of the atomlzing steam, may quickly reach the surface of the drops and escape from the latter. Any small gas portions retained by water drops impinging againstthe root or side walls of the degaslfying compartment C have further and ample opportunity to escape from the water as the latter falls in'drops from the roof, or is deflected in drop form. from said side walls, or runs down the latter in thin films. The whole interior 0! the tank A is effectively used at all times for water storage purposes and to provide steam spaces for heating and degasifying the water. The vertical and horizontal dimensio'ns of the cylindrical tank A shown, which 40 are required for treating water at a given rate, need be no greater with the space above the sedimentation space divided to form separate initial heating and final degasiiying spaces as shown, than if all the space above the sedimentation space were used for the initial heating oi? the water. While the water level in the degasiiying space 0 must ordinarily be lower than the lower level in the sedimentation space, owing to the water lifting action of the atomizing device, the difference in the two water levels is so slight that it represents no significant loss in water head and no consequent increase in the pump energy required to move the water through the apparatus. The high efliciency of the degasifying apparatus due to its atomizing action and to its freedom from the deposit of impurities therein, permit the degasifying apparatus to be or relatively small bulk, and thereby contributes to economy in construction cost, in space occupied and in heat losses to the external atmosphere. The method of degasiilcation carried out as described with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, may obviously be carried out with apparatus diflering in form in various respects, and differing in certain of its operating characteristics, from the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In particular, as previously explained, the essential principles of the method practiced as described with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, may be carried out with apparatus in which all of the steam used in heating and degasiiying the water supplied initially to the final degasiflcatlon chamber, as is provided for in the .levels, as shown in Fig. 1.

apparatus shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. That apparatus. comprises a tank AA divided by partipartitions A and A of the construction first described, into an initial heating space BA, 9. final degasification space or compartment CA, and a sedimentation space. Those spaces correspond individually and in their relative arrangement, generally to the spaces B and C and the sedimentation space of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The water to be treated, is supplied to the space BA through a spray device DA which may be identical with the spray device D, but is shown as having its discharge orifices D arranged at two levels only, instead of at three The means shown for supplying water to the device DA at the rate required to maintain approximately constant water level in the compartment CA may be, and are shown as substantially identical with the corresponding means shown in Fig. 1, except for a formal difierence in the arrangement of the vent condenser FA. The latter, as shown in Fig. 3, extends through the top'wall of the space BA and has its lower portion within said space. F is the vent outlet from the condenser FA.

The water is drawn oil from the sedimentation space in the tank AA through a conical collector or draw-off member L as inFig. 1. From the collector L the water passes as shown in Fig.

3, through a pipe L"! which opens through the partition A into a cup shaped or flared receptacle L within the compartment CA. The receptacle L has its open upper end above the normal water level in the chamber CA. The water is atomized and sprayed out of the receptacle L up into the steam space of the chamber CA, by steam supplied. through a pipe P. The latter delivers to the apparatus all of the steam used in heating and degasifying the water.

All ofthe steam initially delivered to the chamher CA by the pipe P, except such small portion or the steam as is condensed in the final heating of the water within the chamber CA. passes from the chamber CA into the chamber BA through the port or passage formed by spacing the top of the baflie A away from the top wall of'the tank AA. Bailles A depending from the top wall of the tank at each side 'of the baflle A",prevent the water from being sprayed from either of the chambers BA and CA into the other chamber.

All of the gases liberated from the water in the apparatus pass from the chamber BA into the vent condenser, and thence out through the outlet F The means shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 forv atomizing the water entering the chamber L comprises a spray head Q which is of inverted bell or cup form and is carried by a rod Q The latter is shown as axially disposed within the steam supply pipe P. The latter extends downwardly into the compartment CA through the top wall or the tank AA, 'and has its lower end beveled for engagement with the conical valve seat Q formed on the inner wall of the member Q adjacent the there are four channels Q, each of which in horizontal cross section is an annular arc of a little less than 99. The outer wall of each channel in water level is quite small.

.Q which forms a guide sleeve receiving the pipe P.

nels are spaced apart to form radial water. inlet channels Q? open at their outer edges. These channels supply water to the adjacent ends of troughs Q there being one of these troughsbertween the irmer wall Q of each channel Q" and the adjacent portion of the sleeve 62. The upper weir edge Q vof each wall Q is downwardly inclinedslightly from each end towards its middle, so that at low loads the water inflow into the channel Q is concentrated at the central portion of that channel, whereas at heavier loads the inflow of water to each channel is distributed. along the whole length of the wall Q At overloads water may enter each channel Q over the. downwardly inclined upperedges of the corresponding end walls Q and over the horizontalv upper edge of the outer wall of the channel.

The member Q is subjected through its supporting rod Q to a valve seating force adequate to insure the desired jet velocity of steam discharge through the annular space between the lower end of the pipe P and the seat Q, the member Q thus serving in effect as a loaded back pressure valve controlling the downfiow of steam through the pipe P. The pressure drop past said valve or excess, of pressure in the pipe P over that in the compartment CA may obviously vary with conditions of use, and under ordinary conditions may well be in the neighborhood of a pound per square inch. The magnitude of that pressure is determined in the apparatus shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 by the action of valve loading means and analogous to those employed in conjunction with the valve member K of the apparatus previously described. The loading means shown in Fig. 3 comprises arock shaft M carrying a lever. arm M, to which the upper end of the rod Q is link connected, and having an oppositely extending lever arm M which carries an adjustable counterweight M Another lever arm M carried by the rock shaft M is link connected to the. upper end of the stem of a dashpot piston M working in a dashpot chamber M and operating to minimize any tendency to chattering movement or slamming of the device Q. A cup-like extension M at the upper end of the chamber M collects water of condensation and thereby keeps the chamber M filled with liquid.

The water level in the portion of the compartment CA surrounding the basin'L rises and falls as required to give the float E a suitable control range of movement between its upper light load and lower heavy load positions. Whilethe water level in basin L falls relative to the level in space BA slightly as the load increases, the parts may be so proportioned that this fall The water level in space BA indicated by line a in Fig. 3, varies but little with changes in load, as but little loss of head is required to maintain the heaviest load flow of water into the channelsQ. Moreover, such loss of head is compensated for somewhat Will ' 10 The adjacent end walls Q of adjacent chanby the fact that the member Q is lowered as the load is increased. The energy required to lift the water from the steam spray device Q into the space above the basin L is furnished by the atomizing steam and adds nothing to the load on the pumping machinery required to put the water into the apparatus through the supply pipe E and spray pipe DA.

As will be apparent from what has already been said, the apparatus shown in Figs. 3-5 has the same general mode of operation and gives the same general advantages as the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2. With each construction. all of the space within the enclosing tank is effectively and efficiently used, so that the bulk and height of the tank required for a given duty, or capacity. are kept desirably small. With each construction the energy of the steam used in atomizing and spraying the water into the final degasifying stage gives an upward movement to the atomized water and thereby aids in keeping the height of the apparatus relatively low and in minimizing the loss of head of the water moving through the apparatus, and consequently in -minimizing the pumping energy required for moving the water through the apparatus. Each construction permits of the simplification in piping resulting from the supply of all the steam used in the initial heating chamber and in the final degasifying chamber, initially to one of those chambers through a single steam supply pipe. With each form of construction, interference with the heating and degasifying operation by deposited impurities carried into the apparatus by the water treated, are substantially avoided. With each form of construction, the hot process method of water purification may be carried out as efiecttively and efliciently as in the best forms of apparatus heretofore in use for the purpose, without requiring any significant increase in bulk or height of the tank to obtain the additional advantage of eificient degasification within the tank which has not been obtained with the apparatus heretofore used in the hot process of softening water. The increased apparatus cost required for the degasifying operation is confined practically to the cost of the relatively inexpensive apparatus for spraying the water into the final degasihcation chamber.

While the two forms of construction illustrated are alike in general mode of operation and advantages obtainable, as stated above, they differ in certain specific operative features, and each form has some advantage over the other under certain specific conditions of use. Thus, in the form last described, the vapor pressures in the chambers BA and CA are substantially the same at all times, and the treated water may be delivered from the chamber CA at the full temperature of the steam supplied, which, of itself, is ordinarily desirable. In-the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the vapor pressure in the chamber C is necessarily a pound or so lower than in the space 3, so that the temperature of the water delivered fromithe chamber C, which corresponds to the vapor pressure in the chamber C, must be a trifle below the temperature of the steam initially supplied to the space B. In ordinary practice, however, there will ordinarily be no significant difference in the relation between the temperature in the steam supply pipe and .the water delivery temperature between the two forms of apparatus described. Since in the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, the atomizing operation requires a steam pressure drop of a pound or so in the steam as it passes from the pipe P into the compartment CA, no such pressure drop is required in the passage of the steam through the inlet J of Fig. 1. In each construction, therefore, the pressure in the .final degasifying compartment may be lower than the steam supply pipe pressure only by the amount of a pound or so due to the drop in pressure in the deaerating atomizer. Means for atomizing the water and spraying it into the final degasifying chamber may ordinarily be somewhat simpler with the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2. than with the construction shown in Figs. 3-5. In some cases, moreover, the flashing operation possible with the construction of Figs. 1 and 2, and not possible with the construction of Figs. 3-5, is desirable.

Novel apparatus features shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 of the appended drawings, and hereinbefore described, are not claimed herein, but are claimed in my prior application Ser; No. 647,878 filed December 19, 1932, of which the present application is a continuation in part.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best forms of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In heating and degasifying water by bringing the water into contact with steam and by adding to the water a chemical reagent reacting with hot water to precipitate impurities therefrom, the method which consists in passing the water through a steam space into a sedimentation space beneath said steam space, thence upward from the sedimentation space into a second steam space, supplying steam to the first mentioned space to heat the water passing through that space, and subjecting the water passing from the sedimentation space to an atomizing steam jet action spraying the entering water upward into the second mentioned steam space.

2. In heating and degasifying water by bringing the water into contact with steam and by adding to the water a chemical reagent reacting with hot water to precipitate impurities therefrom, the method which consists in passing the water through a steam space into a sedimentation space beneath said steam space, thence upward from the sedimentation space into a second steam space, and heating the water passing through the first mentioned space and subjecting the water passing from the sedimentation space to an atomizing steam Jet action spraying the entering water into the second mentioned steam space, effecting such heating and atomizlng action with steam supplied initially to one of said steam spaces, passing steam not condensed in the steam space to which it is initially supplied, and gases liberated therein from the last mentioned space into the other of said steam spaces and withdrawing gases trom, the method which consists in passing the water through a steam space into a sedimentaspraying the water into the last mentioned steam space, and removing gases separating from the water from said steam spaces.

I 4. Water purifying and deaerating apparatus comprising in combination, a treatment chamher having an upper steam'space and a submerged water outlet, an outflow chamber having a water outlet and a separate air and vapor outlet, means for passing water to be treated into said steam space, means for supplying steam to said steam space in excess of the amount condensed in heating the water introduced into said space, and a deaerating atomizer receiving water to be atomized from the first mentioned outlet and receiving atomizing steam from said steam space and discharging the atomized water into said outflow chamber.

5. Water purifying and deaerating apparatus comprising in combination, a treatment chamber having an upper steam space and a submerged water outlet, an outflow chamber having a water outlet and a separate air and vapor outlet, means for passing water to be treated into said steam space, means for supplying steam to said steam space in excess of the amount con densed in heating the water introduced into said space, and a deaerating atomizer receiving water to be atomized from the first mentioned outlet and receiving atomizing steam from said steam space and discharging atomized water into said outflow chamber, said atomizer including automatic throttling means for maintaining a pressure in said steam space in predetermined excess over the vapor pressure in said outflow chamber and thereby maintaining a suitable atomizing steam velocity in said atomizer.

6. In water purifying and deaerating apparatus, the combination with a tank structure enclosing'a sedimentation space constituting the major portion of the tank interior, of partition means dividing the upper portion of the tank space into a degasifying compartment and an initial heating chamber alongside said compartment and open at its lower end to said sedimentation space, said compartment having an outlet for treated water and a separate. outlet for vapors and gases, means for supplying steam to said heating chamber, a deaerating atomizer receiving water to be atomized by gravitational flow from said sedimentation space and receiving from said chamber steam for atomizing the water received and discharging atomized water upwardly into said compartment, and means for supplying wa-- ter to be treated to said chamber as required to normally maintain the water level therein at the level required for the described reception oiisteam and water by said atomizer.

'7. In water purifying and deaerating apparatus, the combination with a tank structure enclosing a sedimentation space constituting the major portion of the tank interior, of partition means dividing the upper portion of the tank space into a degasifying compartment and an initial heating chamber alongside said compartment and open at its lower end to said sedimentation space, said compartment having an outlet for treated water and a separate outlet for vapors and gases, means for supplying steam to said heating chamber, a deaerating atomizer receiving water to be atomized by gravitational flow from said sedimentation space and receiving from said chamber steam for atomizing the water received and discharging atomized water upwardly into said compartment, said atomizer including means automatically adjustable to maintain a vapor pressure in said chamber in predetermined excess of the vapor pressure in said compartment and thereby maintain an atomizing velocity of the steam received by said atomizer from said chamber, and means for supplying water to'be treated-tosaid chamber as required to normally maintain the water level therein at the level required for the described reception of steam and water by said atomizer.

- VICTOR A. ROHLIN. 

